The Things You Missed in the Fire
by EmeraldFire512
Summary: "You have 16 missed calls" Matt raised an eyebrow. 16. That may actually be a record. Or, what happened when Matt got home and found all those voice mails after the explosions. Features a little Matt/Claire, some Matt worrying about Foggy, and a lot of Karen worrying about both of them.
1. Chapter 1

Why is it that I can't manage to update stories I've been working on for years, but I can sit down and write an entire story in less than 3 hours? The world may never know.

But this was inspired by another story I read in which Foggy gets hurt and Matt doesn't cope well. And I figured that that had to apply to what happened during the explosions and well, I wanted to see it play out.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, Matt finally found himself on his rooftop. He paused for a moment, leaning over and placing his hands on his knees as he took in gasping breaths. The return trip to his apartment had taken much more time that usual and Matt was feeling every single cut and bruise.

He straightened up and winced before heading to his door. He briefly considered calling Claire, but if the sounds he had heard from the background in his last call were anything to go by, she was needed at the hospital. He would just have to deal with it on his own tonight. Thankfully, he couldn't feel anything too serious.

Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, he pulled off his mask. He placed it down on the coffee table and began to remove his shirt, wincing at the pain the movement activated. After he pulled the shirt off, he ran his hands across the material and grimaced. It looked like the end for this one. With a sigh he crossed to his kitchen and tossed it into the trash. Just as he was turning to return to the living room, his phone chimed to indicate a missed call. With a brief shock of guilt, he realized it was probably from Foggy. Explosions all over Hell's Kitchen were the kind of thing that might activate Foggy's protective instincts over his blind best friend. Matt supposed he was just lucky that Foggy had come over to the apartment himself to make sure Matt was okay. With a sigh, Matt hit the side button, indicating that his phone should tell him about the missed call.

_You have 16 missed calls_.

Matt raised an eyebrow. 16. That may actually be a record. The voice continued.

_You have 6 voice messages. _

Matt felt the feeling of guilt return. Foggy really must have been worried. "Play voice messages," he instructed his phone as he reached into the refrigerator for a water.

_First voice message_

"Matt, it's Karen. I've tried calling you a few times already. We just wanted to make sure you were okay, and to tell you that Foggy and I are both fine. We're taking Mrs. Cardenas to the hospital right now, she was cut up pretty badly by the explosion, and we were with her. Please call me back when you get this, okay?"

Matt felt rage coarse through him. The kindly Senora had no business being hurt by Fisk and his people. She had just become another justification on his ever-growing list. "Next message," he instructed his phone tersely.

_Second voice message_

"Matt," Matt paused, the water bottle he was about to drink from abandoned. Karen's voice sounded tense, and a bit like she was trying to hold off tears.

"It's Karen again. I've tried calling you a few more times, and Elena's been looked after."

She paused, and Matt wondered what it was she was so hesitant to say. When she spoke again, the tears he heard in her voice had intensified.

"Matt, where are you? I really hope you're not hurt, but if you aren't and you're just ignoring us, then that's really dickish of you. If you get this, please, please come to the hospital. Foggy's hurt, and I'm waiting here alone, and I am scared and worried. So please, if you get this, call me back."

Matt dropped his water bottle and stared desperately at his phone, ignoring the rapidly spreading pool of water. Foggy was hurt. How badly? What had happened?

Matt slammed his fist onto the counter. Fisk was going to pay. "Next message," he said, his words edged in desperation.

_Third voice message_

"Matt? It's Karen again. A nurse just came out to tell me that Foggy's going into surgery now. She said that they don't think the glass in his side hit anything vital, but they have to do surgery to be sure. She assured me it'll be quick, but it would still be really great if you were here. Though, if you had gotten any of my messages so far, I'm sure you would have shown up by now."

There was a brief pause filled with Karen considering what to say next, and Matt's guilt.

"I really hope you're okay Matt. I couldn't take it if something happened to both of you. You two are all I have left, and I don't know what I would do without either one of you. But, just please call me back, okay?"

The beep indicating the end of the message sounded, and Matt leaned forward onto the counter, roughly shoving his head into his hands. His friends needed him and where was he? Trapped in an abandoned warehouse by Fisk, surrounded by cops. And Foggy was in surgery, and there was glass in his side? And Matt hadn't been there. He angrily wiped away a few tears that had slid down his face and turned back to his phone, "Next message."

_Fourth voice message_

"Matt, it's Karen again."

Matt felt his body relax. Her voice sounded much more calm this time.

"Foggy's out of surgery, and the doctor said everything's fine. He's still out, but probably not for much longer. Which leaves me with plenty of time to worry about you. I keep calling in the hope that you'll answer, but no such luck so far. I really hope you're not hurt. And will you please call me back?"

As the message ended, Matt let out a breath he hadn't really realized he was holding. Foggy was okay. Everything was fine. But there were still two more messages. "Next message," he instructed his phone again, his body tight with anxiety.

_Fifth voice message_

"Matt, it's Karen. Again. Uh, where are you? Would you just, uh, give us a call when you get this."

Matt sighed. "Next message," he said wearily.

_Sixth voice message_

"Matt? It's Foggy."

Matt stood upright, the sound of that voice jolting him off the counter. He stared at his phone, all at once relieved to hear his best friend's voice and alarmed at how weak it sounded.

"Where are you buddy?"

With that, his phone beeped, indicating the end of Foggy's message.

_End of new messages_

Matt stood resolutely and headed towards his bedroom, all earlier bumps and bruises forgotten. He was going to the hospital, to see Karen, and Foggy.

But first, he would have to change.

* * *

I have no idea how the voice accessibility options work on phones, so if any one does know and feels like correcting me, you are more than welcome to do so.

Next chapter up tomorrow!


	2. Chapter 2

Without further ado, here's the last chapter. This one has everyone in it!

* * *

Twenty minutes later, now dressed in clothes free of bloodstains and knife gashes, Matt arrived at the nearby hospital. He focused his hearing, looking for anything that would help him find his way to Foggy. To his surprise, he heard a familiar voice giving instructions to another nurse. With a small smile, he approached the nearby nurse's station.

"Excuse me," he asked politely, "I'm looking for a friend of mine, do you think you could tell me which room he's in?"

The resulting clatter of papers from her hands onto the desk told him that she physically started at the sound of his voice, and the sight of him standing before her.

"Matt!" she exclaimed before looking around to make sure no one was in earshot. She lowered her voice regardless, "what are you doing here? Are you okay? And how did you know where I work? I never told you."

"Honestly," he began, "I wasn't looking for you. I really am looking for my friend. Finding you was more of a happy coincidence. And yes, I'm fine, nothing major."

If he could see her clearly, he suspected she would have been raising her eyebrows. "That's hard to believe, but good, I suppose. You do realize you're going to have to explain some more of this to me now, right?"

"You're right, I owe at least that to you. But first, can you help me find my friend?"

"I find it a little hard to believe that you have friends."

"Ouch Claire," he replied drily.

"What's your friend's name?" she asked instead, ignoring his mock indignation.

"Foggy Nelson. Or, Franklin Nelson. Not sure which it would be under."

He heard the sounds of clicking keys as she entered the information into the computer.

"Looks like we have a…Foggy Nelson. Room 256."

Matt breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you Claire."

"I have a few minutes, would you like me to show you the way?"

"That would be nice, but only if you have the time."

"I do."

Matt heard the rustle of fabric as she strode out from behind the desk and to his side. He lightly placed a hand on her arm as they moved forward.

There was silence for a few moments before Claire spoke again, "You're really worried about him, aren't you?"

"What? How can you tell?"

"Your entire body is so tense I'm surprised nothing's snapped yet."

He blew out a short breath of air in an impersonation of a chuckle. "I'm not really that worried. Our secretary was with him, and she left me voicemails with updates on his condition and I know he's fine now."

"But?"

Matt sighed, "But this never should have happened. Fisk was behind this, and now what he does is passing the Mask and bleeding into my real life."

He stopped, bringing her to a halt as well as he turned to face her, "I wear the mask to protect the people I care about Claire. There is no one I care about more than Foggy. He is my best friend, my business partner, and the closest thing I have to family. But Fisk got around the Mask, and he hurt him. He also hurt Elena, and who knows how many others? And it's…" he paused, looking for the right word, "disquieting."

Claire was silent for several moments, in what Matt suspected was an effort to weigh her words. Finally, she spoke, "then all you can do is to keep going. Keep doing what you do, and use this anger and guilt you have to fuel what you do. But," she paused and put a hand on his arm, lightly squeezing it for emphasis, "you can only do that if you keep yourself alive. You're no good to any one you care about dead. All you're going to accomplish by dying is hurting the people who love you. So you have to be careful. Watch your back and don't take any stupid risks. That's all I'm asking, okay?"

Matt sighed, but his mind could not find a way to discount her logic. "Okay."

"Good," Claire said with an air of satisfaction. They continued on their walk.

A few moments later, they arrived at the correct door. As they halted, Matt reached out and felt the braille at the base of the number plate. He moved his hand over to the door handle, turned back to look at Claire before opening it.

"Thank you Claire, for everything."

"You're welcome Matt," she said with a smile. Before she walked away, she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're not dead, or in prison," she added.

He gave her a genuine smile, "Me too." With those parting words, he turned the doorknob and stepped inside the room. Before she left, Claire heard a woman's voice, full of excitement and relief, "Matt, thank god!"

Claire smiled at the closing door and rolled her shoulders before turning back towards the nurses' station, preparing herself for the long night ahead.

* * *

Karen looked up at the sound of the door opening. In an instant she was out of her chair besides Foggy's bed and across the room, throwing her arms around the new arrival.

"Matt," she exclaimed, "thank god! We were so worried about you. What happened? Why didn't you answer your phone?" As she spoke, she took a survey of him. His face seems to have a few more cuts and bruises, but it was hard to tell what was new and what was healing. Overall though, he looked fine.

Matt returned her hug, "I'm fine Karen, and I'm sorry for worrying you. The explosions kind of upended my living room and I couldn't find my phone in everything. I did finally find it while I was just about finished cleaning everything up, listened to your messages and came right here."

As he said this, he looked over Karen's shoulder to the bed she had just been sitting by.

He was beyond relieved when he heard Foggy shift in bed to get a better look at him. He stepped delicately around Karen and found his way to the bed, reaching out a hand to grasp the side rail.

"Foggy, how are you feeling? I heard what happened in Karen's messages."

Foggy studied the man standing before him, "much better now that I know you're okay buddy. You really had me worried."

Matt shook his head in exasperation, "Foggy Nelson, ladies and gentleman. Gets impaled by a shard of glass and is more worried about his best friend than himself."

Foggy chuckled, "Yep, that about sums it up."

"Seriously Foggy," Matt continued, all playfulness dropping from his demeanor, "are you okay?"

"Seriously Matt," said Foggy, matching his friend's change in demeanor, "I am. It hurts like hell, but I'm luckier than so many other people."

Karen watched her two bosses interact from where Matt had left her. Matt still seemed doubtful, but Foggy rolled his eyes and lifted his hand up so that it was on top of Matt's.

"I'm really okay buddy," he repeated, lightly squeezing the hand gripping the bed rail.

Whether it was the sincere tone of Foggy's words or the contact, Karen watched as Matt finally relaxed. She smiled and returned to her chair, watching as Matt used his cane to feel around him for a chair. Finding one, he sat down, never breaking the contact with the other man.

The three were quiet and Karen settled back into her chair, the desire to sleep that she had been holding off for so long returning and her gratefully accepting it. The three of them were together, and everything would be all right.

Her last view before sleep overtook her was of her bosses relaxed, easily chatting, still connected by a hand on the bedrail.

* * *

And there's that. Hope you all enjoyed!


End file.
